Picture hanger for use with gypsum board

ABSTRACT

A picture hanger for use with gypsum board comprises a strip of steel bent into a V to provide two legs. The first leg is arcuate and functions as an anchor upon insertion into the gypsum board. The second leg is straight, with a hook at its terminus for hanging pictures and the like. An installation tool is provided which enables the arcuate anchor leg to be driven into the gypsum board along an arcuate path corresponding to the arcuate anchor leg until the second leg is held firmly against the surface of the gypsum board.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on Provisional Application Ser. No.60/433,127, filed Dec. 13, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a hanging fixture or hook forinstallation in gypsum board from which pictures, mirrors, and the likeare hung. More particularly it relates to a hook for installation ingypsum board which is removable without substantial damage to the gypsumboard surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of gypsum board (drywall) for interior walls and ceilings ofbuildings is ubiquitous. Walls and ceilings may be finished in afraction of the time required for lath and plaster finishing.

Along with its many advantages, gypsum board has severe limitations withrespect to its ability to support pictures, mirrors and the like. Unlessa hanger is positioned directly over a stud, into which screws or nailsmay be driven, special fixtures are required. A common solution is todrill a hole through the board, insert an appropriately sized plastic orfiber anchor into the hole, and drive a screw into the anchor. Otherdevices include a self-drilling anchor which cuts its own hole andscrews into the board. Yet other hangers use a nail driven downwardlyinto the board at an acute angle from which a hook is suspended.

All of the prior art fixtures and hangers have disadvantages. Drilling ahole in gypsum board produces fine white dust, which must be cleaned upafter installation is complete. Moreover, if the fixture is removed, ascar is left in the wall which requires patching with dry wall compoundor plaster of paris followed by sanding and painting. In general,installing or removing the hanging fixtures of the prior art is a messyjob.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a steelstrip bent into a Vee to provide two legs. The first leg is arcuate andfunctions as the anchor when inserted into gypsum board. The second legis straight, with a hook at its terminus for hanging pictures and thelike. An installation tool is provided which enables the arcuate anchorleg to be driven into the gypsum board along an arcuate path until thesecond leg is held firmly against the surface of the gypsum board. Thehanger may be removed with a screw driver or plier, leaving a barelyperceptible scar in the gypsum board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The construction and installation of the device of the present inventionwill become readily apparent from the following description and drawing,in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the installation tool in accordancewith the present invention with a hanger positioned therein;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the installation tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the hanger;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 2 showingthe hanger in nesting position in the installation tool before insertioninto the gypsum board;

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4 in which the hanger has been partiallydriven into the gypsum board;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 4 showing the hanger fully inserted in thegypsum board;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment of theinstallation tool; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the installation tool of FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 1 there is provided an installation tool 13 comprisinga body 15 and a driver 17. The body 15 may be made of an injectionmolded plastic. The driver 17 preferably is a steel rod received in abore 19 in the body 15. The bore 19 opens into a cavity 21 formed toaccommodate the hanger 23 of the present invention.

The driver 17 terminates in the interior of the body with a push plate25. The push plate abuts the hanger 23. The hanger is shown moreparticularly in FIG. 3, and is bent into a Vee, with an anchor leg 29and a hanger leg 31. The hanger leg terminates in a hook 33.

It will be seen in FIG. 3 that the anchor leg 29 of the hanger 23 isarcuate, with the center of curvature of its arc at or near the base ofthe hook 33 of the hanger leg.

FIG. 4 shows the installation tool 13 and the hanger 23 in the sameposition as illustrated in FIG. 1, before insertion of the hanger intothe gypsum board. A guide line 35 (FIG. 1) on the side of theinstallation tool body 15 is aligned with the spot where the hook 33 isdesired to be positioned on the wall.

FIG. 5 shows the hanger 29 partially driven into the gypsum board. Ahammer is used to strike the end of the driver 17 to drive the anchorleg 29 of the hanger progressively into the gypsum board. Throughoutinsertion of the hanger 23, the hook 33 of the hanger leg 31 is capturedbetween a shoulder 37 of the cavity 21 and the surface of the wall, sothat the anchor leg 29 of the hanger 23 follows an arcuate path into thewall consistent with the arc of the anchor leg 29.

FIG. 6 shows the anchor leg 29 fully inserted into the gypsum board, sothat the hanger leg 31 of the hanger 23 is urged snugly against thesurface of the gypsum board.

If it should happen that the hanger 23 is mistakenly placed in the wronglocation, or if the hanger is no longer needed, the hanger 23 may beeasily removed from the gypsum board using a screw driver and/or a plierto urge the anchor leg upwardly and outwardly away from the gypsumboard. Upon removal, the point of entry of the hanger 23 into the wallis barely discernable. If desired, a very small amount of spackle ordrywall compound of course may be used to camouflage it.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment 13′ of the installation tool. Itincludes a driver 17′ received in a guide tube 43 affixed to the body15′ of the installation tool. A compression spring 47 biases the driver17′ away from the body 15′.

The body 15′ encloses a magazine in which a plurality of hangers 23 areloaded. A follower 49 urges the hangers toward the end of the bodyunderlying the driver 17′. In this respect, the body 15′ resembles thebody of a stapler, in which a plurality of staples are urged toward theinserting means.

In a further embodiment of the installation tool (not illustrated) thedriver is electrically driven, as in an electric stapler, to insert thehangers 23 into the gypsum one at a time.

The drawings and the foregoing descriptions are not intended torepresent the only forms of the invention in regard to the details ofits construction and manner of operation. Changes in form and in theproportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, arecontemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient; andalthough specific terms have been employed, they are intended in ageneric and descriptive sense only and not for the purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being delineated by the followingclaims.

1. A fixture for insertion into a gypsum board wall to enable articlesto be hung therefrom, comprising: a Vee-shaped metal fixture having afirst leg and a second leg, said first leg functioning as an anchor andsaid second leg functioning as a hanger; said second leg terminating ina hook; and said first leg being arcuate with a center of curvaturesubstantially at the center of curvature of said hook.
 2. The fixture ofclaim 1 wherein the fixture is formed from a steel strip.
 3. A fixturefor insertion into a gypsum board wall to enable articles to be hungtherefrom, comprising: a metal fixture having a first leg and a secondleg which together form a Vee; said first leg functioning as an anchorfor insertion into the wall and said second leg having a hook formedtherein adjacent its terminus from which the articles may be hung; saidfirst leg being arcuate with the center of curvature of its arc being ator near the base of the hook of said second leg.